Average Salary for University of California - San Diego (UCSD) Alumni

Nestled away in La Jolla, Calif., the University of California, a school, has a student population of roughly 24,000. The information for this snapshot was generated by alumni responses to the PayScale salary survey.

Industry

Graduates of the UCSD work in a variety of sectors including the software development industry, the aerospace and defense industry, and the medical device manufacturing industry. Among UCSD grads, the biotechnology research and development industry is a commonly chosen career field. Those with a degree from the UCSD make an average of approximately $67K.

Gender

Male graduates of UCSD out-earn their female counterparts significantly, earning an average of $80K versus about $60K for women.

Jobs

In the UCSD alumni professional community, Senior Software Engineers make the highest median pay ($103K), though Software Engineers (around $88K), and Software Developers ($70K) are close competitors. On the lower end, User Experience Designers report making $58K.

Locations

Many UCSD grads end up living in San Diego, Calif., deeming it the most popular city for former students of this school. In addition, former UCSD students often head to Seattle, Wash. after graduating, where the median salary comes to about $85K in this top-paying city. UCSD alumni in Los Angeles, Calif. can often be found sliding in at the lower end of the pay scale, where median paychecks are the smallest at around $64K. UCSD alumni express interest in nearby San Francisco, Calif. and San Jose, Calif. as well.

Degree Major

Financial compensation is highest for UCSD grads with a B.A. in Mathematics (average earnings climb to approximately $114K per year). A Bachelor of Science in Management Science commands less pay, and these degree-holders face median pay of $48K.

Skills

Close to one-seventh of grads report using Microsoft Excel as part of their job, making it the most popular skill. Competency in C++ translates into above-average pay for former Tritons — they earn 44 percent more than their fellow graduates. Demonstrated ability in Project Management, Microsoft Office, and Data Analysis rank among leading skills as well.

Benefits and Perks

Only two-fifths of alumni for this school enjoy paid vacation days and about one in four survey participants get paid sick time. Health insurance benefits extend to a large number of survey participants, and a fair number of survey participants sign up for dental plans. A large number of alums save up for retirement through a 401(k) plan. Other benefits that University of California alumni receive are a casual working environment, life insurance, a company-subsidized cell phone, and flexible hours.

Related Schools

Median pay for University of Arizona grads is $67K, making their salaries most similar to those of UCSD grads. The University of California-Irvine, the University of California-Riverside, and the University of California-Los Angeles are also similar to UCSD.